Manchester United begin the new Premier League season against Brighton at Old Trafford in just over two weeks' time. 'This Is the One' by the Stone Roses will be heard as the players walk out, with hopes and dreams for the new campaign yet to be tarnished.
The atmosphere on the opening day of the season is always special. The anticipation on the terraces is tangible and the last of the summer weather provides the perfect backdrop at Old Trafford - the pitch will look immaculate. United have won more opening-day games in the Premier League than any other club and they'll be hoping to extend that record with Erik ten Hag in charge.
United began their pre-season on June 27, but Ten Hag is meticulous and he would have already been preparing for Brighton well before the players returned to Carrington. United have played three games in pre-season - Liverpool, Melbourne Victory and Crystal Palace - and there have been glimmers of Ten Hag's philosophy, with a clear emphasis on efficiently pressing the opposition.
ALSO READ: Ten Hag has hinted at United's first-choice back four for Premier League opener
Ten Hag has worked with his squad for just over three weeks and he's got another 17 days before the opening day of the season. There have been seven departures from United this summer and Ten Hag has signed three players to strengthen and offset those exits.
Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez have been the first signings of Ten Hag's tenure and more new faces are expected through the door. United remain in talks to sign Frenkie de Jong and they also want to sign a striker. Cristiano Ronaldo has expressed his desire to leave the club and Anthony Martial is not a reliable source of goals, despite his pre-season form.
Although Ten Hag has signed three players he wanted, there is still uncertainty around the squad with just a few weeks until the opening day of the season, however, there are still some players that seem guaranteed to start against Brighton on August 7.
Ten Hag will already have an idea of his starting line up for that match and David de Gea will be the first name on the team sheet. De Gea was United's most consistent performer last term and he emphatically reclaimed his No.1 spot with some inspired performances, which has led to Dean Henderson being loaned to Nottingham Forest. De Gea will be hoping to reproduce that form this season.
Ten Hag's comments this summer also suggest that Harry Maguire will start at centre-back. Not only has Ten Hag confirmed Maguire will continue as club captain, he's lavished the praise on the 29-year-old and tinkered with his position in pre-season
Maguire has started on the right side of the centre of defence in the two matches he's played, seemingly in preparation for the left-footed Martinez to start on the other side. It's highly likely Martinez will regularly start for United this season, but Ten Hag might prefer the 'established' partnership of Maguire and Raphael Varane for Brighton, which means the Argentine is not a certainty for the opener.
The same can't be said about Diogo Dalot, who enjoyed the best season of his United career last term when taking advantage of Aaron Wan-Bissaka falling out of contention. Dalot provides more quality in the final third and that's something Ten Hag demands.
With De Gea, Maguire and Dalot appearing to be guaranteed starters for the opening day, one would expect Fred and Bruno Fernandes will join them in the starting line up. Fred offered more than McTominay last season and he seems ahead in that particular battle, while Fernandes' role in the starting XI has never seemed in doubt since he signed from Sporting Libson in 2020. That might eventually change after Eriksen's arrival, but Fernandes has been brilliant in pre-season.
Jadon Sancho is the final player who can be considered a guaranteed starter for the opening day. Sancho can play on either wing and that versatility is an obvious asset, but he's played down the right in pre-season, which is the position he was signed to occupy.
There are no guarantees for Marcus Rashford just yet, with Anthony Elanga providing competition and having taken his place in the starting line-up against Melbourne Victory, while a reinvigorated Anthony Martial may have to stave off competition from the wantaway Cristiano Ronaldo, should the Portuguese not get the transfer away that he so desires.
That leaves five starting positions for Brighton remaining and United's players have just 17 days to secure those places.
READ NEXT:
